Valve assembly

Abstract

A valve assembly with a bank or row of switching valves has a base plate of u-like cross section with two flanges and a web therebetween. Within one of the flanges there is a common supply duct and in the other there is a common air outlet duct for the valves placed on the plate. The housings of the valves are generally block-like and their inlet and outlet ports are placed in opposite sides thereof. The sides with the air outlet ports furthermore have electrical connection pins for the solenoid magnets of the valves. A common electrical plug connector is placed covering over the pins of all the switching valves. There is a single muffler for all the switching valves.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A valve assembly, comprising a base plate and a plurality of switching valves seated on an assembly face on said base plate; said base plate having a supply duct formed therein and branch ducts which run off from said supply duct and communicate with said valves by way of first ports in said assembly face and by way of inlet transfer ports of said valves; said base plate having terminal ducts which communicate with working ports of said valves, said terminal ducts being designed for supplying loads; and said base plate further having a common air outlet duct for all said valves, said outlet duct having branch ducts which open through second ports in said assembly face and communicate with outlet transfer ports of said valves; wherein said valves are made with positioning pins which fit into holes provided in said base plate for making certain that said transfer ports of said valves are aligned with respective said ports of said base plate on putting such valves in place thereon. 
     
     
       2. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pins have elastic detent means for springingly locking them in said holes in said base plate. 
     
     
       3. A valve assembly, comprising a base plate and a plurality of switching valves seated on an assembly face on said base plate; said base plate having a supply duct formed therein and branch ducts which run off from said supply duct and communicate with said valves by way of inlet ports in said assembly face and by way of inlet transfer ports of said valves; said base plate having terminal ducts which communicate with working ports of said valves, said terminal ducts being designed for supplying loads; said base plate further having a common air outlet duct for all said valves, said outlet duct having branch ducts which open through outlet ports in said assembly face and communicate with outlet air transfer ports of said valves; and including a dummy valve placed in line with said valves and stopping up at least one of said inlet and outlet ports in said base plate. 
     
     
       4. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said dummy valve has at least one blind hole aligned with at least one of said inlet and outlet ports in said base plate. 
     
     
       5. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said dummy valve is placed at an end of said base plate, said valves and said dummy valve each having signal terminals on a side thereof, said signal terminals of said dummy valve being dummy terminals. 
     
     
       6. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 1, including a muffler communicating with said outlet duct at an outlet end thereof. 
     
     
       7. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base plate has a U-shaped cross section with first and second flanges joined together by a web, said supply duct and said outlet duct respectively being provided in said first and second flanges and said first ports and said second ports being respectively provided in inner surfaces of said first and second flanges, said valves each having a block-like part with said inlet and outlet transfer ports on opposite sides thereof. 
     
     
       8. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 7, including terminal connectors on said web which communicate with said terminal ducts and can be connected to loads which are to be controlled by said valves. 
     
     
       9. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 7, including control signal terminals on a side of each said valve which has one of said inlet and outlet transfer ports therein, and including a common control signal connector which can be releasably coupled to said control signal terminals on each said valve. 
     
     
       10. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein said second flange, which has said outlet duct therein, is broader than said first flange, which has said supply duct therein, said control signal terminals being located on a side of each said valve which has the outlet transfer port therein.